Improvement in washing-machines



l. PRATT, Jr.

Patented July 16, 1872.

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UNITED STATES IRA PRATT, an, or GREENLEAF, MINNESOTA.

IMPROVEMENT IN WASHING-MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 129,494, dated July 16, 1872.

Specification describing a new and useful Improvement in Washing-Machine, invented by IRA PRATT, J r., of Greenleaf, in the county of Meeker and State of Minnesota.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side view of my improved washing-machine. Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

My invention has for its object to furnish an improved washing-machine, simple in construction, effective in operation, light, strong, durable, readily attached to an ordinary washiub, and easily operated; and it consists in the construction and combination of the various parts of the machine, as hereinafter more fully described.

A are two boards, placed side by side and parallel with each other. The upper ends of the boards A are attached to the opposite sides of a bar, B, which projects inward, as shown in Fig. l. The middle parts of the boards A are attached to the opposite side of the bar 0, which projects at the-rear. The lower ends of the boards A are held in their relative positions by the board D, which is attached to their forward edges. The length of the board D must depend upon the size of the tub, in connection with which the machine is to be used, and upon the amount of clothes to be washed at a time, and its forward side is corrugated, as shown in Fig. 1. The lower part of the rear edges of the boards A is beveled to correspond with the inclination of the sides of the tub, so that the boards A may be vertical, or nearly vertical. The machine is clamped to the side of the tub by the levers E F. The levers F are pivoted to the outer end of the bar 0, so that their lower ends may project below said bar. To the upper ends of the levers E is pivoted a lever, F, the outer end of which projects to serve as a handle, and its inner end enters the space between the boards A. The lever F has a crosspin attached .to it, or shoulders formed upon it at a little distance from its inner end, to rest against the edges of the boards A, so that the lever F may act as a cam to force the lower ends of the levers E inward to clamp theside of the tub, and thus secure the machine firmly in place. To the opposite sides of the projecting end of the bar B are pivoted the upper ends of two bars, G, the lower ends of which are held in the proper relative position by the board H attached to their said lower ends facing the board D. The board H corresponds in size with the board D, and its face is corrugated the same as that of the said board D, as shown in Fig. l. I is the operating-lever, the end of which is pivoted to and between the boards A, at or near the upper edge of the corrugated board D. To the opposite sides of the middle part of the lever I are pivoted the middle parts of the short levers J. To and between the lower ends of the levers J is pivoted the end of the bar K, the other end of which is pivoted to and between the bars G at or near the upper edge of the corrugated board H. To the upper ends of the short levers J is pivoted a hook or catch, L, which takes hold of notches formed in the upper side of the lever I, so that, by adjusting the hook or catch L, the board H may be adjusted to stop nearer to or further from the board D, according to the amount of clothes to be operated upon at a time.

By this construction, by moving the free end of the lever I downward the corrugated board H is moved toward the corrugated board D, squeezing the clothes between them. As the free end of the lever I is raised the clothes fall back into the water, turn partially over, and become saturated, to be again squeezed as the board H again advances, thus washing the clothes, thoroughly in a very short time.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination of the boards A, bar B, bars G, lever I, levers J, catch L, connectingbar K, and corrugated boards H D with each other, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination of the bar 0, levers E, and lever F with the boards A, with which the operating parts of the machine are connected, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purposes set forth.

IRA PRATT, JR. Witnesses:

L. S. WEYMOUTH, ARTHUR W. DU BRAY. 

